Category Student Ministry Stuff (SMS)

MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT: Pray21 The Re-Release!

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

This is very, very exciting!

Youthmark has moved into the Publishing Realm!

Over the last few years I’ve been honored to be published by Spire-Resources, well, as of tonight, Youthmark officially moved into the publishing market with the official release of Pray21.

Chair drop (freebie) at the NYWC

Youthmark has given away close to 2000 copies of this book TONIGHT at the Youth Specialties National Youth Workers Convention (NYWC).

As I stated earlier, this is very exciting because this title fits EXACTLY in line with my blogpost about Trusting Teens. I believe this book will do much much in our endeavor to see students lead the cause of Christ. But here’s the equation I want to introduce:

WITH > FOR

That is, WITH is greater than for.

Praying WITH Youth will change your church. Your community. Our culture.

Students are ready to lead the cause of Christ. But they need the prayers, they need the encouragement. They need the mentoring of adults. They need to be trusted to lead and the humility to be led by a trusted mentor! Prayer will fuel this movement! Student Led, Adult Mentored Ministry!

It starts by getting congregations to believe in teens enough to pray not just for, but WITH students!

Check it out at Pray21.com and get your youth group, school or club involved. Pray WITH Youth!

Grace,
Brian

Dear Aaby: The Debut!

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

I’ve been waiting for this day! The day of NAME-REDEMPTION!

“Hey Westminster,” “Flabby” or “Dear Abby” were the common dig-attempts.

For too many years I was made the victim by having the last name Aaby (let alone all the times I had to go first, for simply being first in the alphabet). Well, this morning I discovered that my post for the Dare 2 Share blog (Relational And Relentless) entitled “Dear Aaby” went live. I hope that it makes a regular appearance where students, youth leaders or parents can ask questions, specifically about evangelism related topics!

Check out it out here. And then after watching it (about 2 minutes) I’d love for you to come back here and comment any questions you’d like to see answered in the Dear Aaby series. Don’t hesitate to email a question as well (brian at youthmark dot com).

This debut episode tackles the question of how to take a common youth group game and use it for evangelistic purposes!  Watch now!

Let’s tackle the fears of sharing our faith and relationally live and share the Gospel!

Grace,
Brian

Comment or email: What question do you have about evangelism/sharing our faith?

Do You Trust Teens?

Brian Aaby 8 Comments

I don’t get it…

  • One scored six goals in a world cup game.
  • They’ve written world famous operas, inspired nations to battle victories and created the social networking phenomenon.
  • In athletics we’ve seen total dominance from some of them– a Heisman trophy winner, a Daytona 500 driver and one was arguably the best gymnast ever.

I’m talking about teens.

  • Educators push them to take AP Physics and Calculus.
  • They hold down jobs and we trust them to watch after our own children.
  • They create art, perform, bake, dance and defend our nation.

But in the church…

  • We ask them to listen to us (Sunday morning, mid-week and in small group).
  • We buy them endless amounts of pizza in the hopes they’ll come back.
  • We beg them to bring a friend to the camp that we planned for them.
  • We tell them to sit still while the Pastors and adults speak at them.
  • We tell them they are the next generation of leaders, but give them little to lead.

It’s time we (the church) take the governor off their accelerator!

Jesus gathered a group of ordinary young adults (most of them teens), mentored them and entrusted them to start the church.

Student Led, Adult Mentored (SLAM) Ministry.

This phrase causes angst among many. Some read student led and become anxious, they fear chaos will ensue. Others read it and are threatened “but how will I use my gifts?” Even teens may read it and have their doubts, “I’m too young, I don’t need more on my plate!”

But we’re only reading half of the phrase, we cannot forget the adult mentored part of the statement.

There’s nothing new under the sun. About a year ago I came up with this phrase ‘Student Led, Adult Mentored’ (SLAM) Ministry, but it is a concept that has been practiced for many many years. As already stated, it was what Jesus did, but it was also the way the very first youth ministry organization was started in 1881 (Christian Endeavor International) when a group of teens were challenged by an adult mentor (Francis Clark) to live daily for Christ and lead his cause!

Over the course of the next year with teens playing the key role, Youthmark, Christian Endeavor and a few others organizations and individuals are going to role out some game-changers in student ministry. We want to go back to the beginning where Jesus asked a group of teens if he could “teach them how to fish for souls?”

Students are ready, capable and already leading in so many other realms, it is time (again) for the church to give them room to operate and mentors to come alongside them!  

Grace,
Brian

Don’t wait, the first initiative is out for this movement. Go to Pray21.com and begin this thing with praying WITH teens!

Making Tents and How You Can Help!

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

In prayer, by faith, we believe God is moving and using Youthmark and we’d love for you to consider this unique way of partnering (SPOILER ALERT: NO we’re not looking for you to write a support check)…

When we launched Youthmark in 2008 we had several people ask if they could support us (financially), but Elisabeth and I really wanted to explore what it would look like to do Youthmark as a ministry/business. Though Youthmark is certainly missional, we didn’t see ourselves as vocational missionaries. We simply asked for those making the offers to support other missions/ministries but implored them to pray for us!

Well, four plus years in and though we’re making changes, we’re still saying the same thing! We are moving toward producing other resources for the student ministry field. By faith we believe this is what God has called us to do, but it is risky to leave the “known” and explore the unknown.

As we continue to “make tents” (1 Cor. 18:1-3), we are confident that God will continue to provide for us. Besides creating resources, I believe there is one other arena that God will use to provide for us that also fits within my gift and passion set: Teaching. Training. Inspiring.

I love speaking, training and inspiring people for a life of mission here, there and anywhere. I believe it is my calling to train people (students, leaders, parents, etc.) in everyday opportunities we have to be used for the cause of Christ (Mission51).

If you are at a church, school or parachurch and looking for someone to come in speak and/or help create an event and experience where training and inspiration can be provided I’d love for you to consider partnering with me/us! I “play well with others” in that I can simply be a speaker/trainer for you, but I REALLY love the entire process where we dream, scheme, plot, plan and especially pray for the right direction for these events!

I said “us” above, because the under-discovered talent in the Aaby family is Elisabeth. She is such a gifted speaker, I’d love to see God use her to bless your ministries as well… Elisabeth is at her best speaking to women (youth, young adults, moms and at women Bible studies, etc.).

You can click here to see what sort of events I typically speak at and specifically what things have been on the calendar in 2012.

We prayerfully consider all opportunities and simply hope the asking party has done the same as they consider a budget for travel and honorarium. We want to work with our partners to develop a budget that honors God and each other!

Shoot me an email (brian at youthmark dot com), Tweet, Facebook message or even comment your interest and I’ll be happy to follow up with you. We can talk dates, times, desires, etc. as we begin the conversation!

We’d love your prayers as we make this transition in our lives and as God develops these new partnerships!

Grace,
Brian

Are You On the Satan List?

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

I’ve been writing for Dare 2 Share Ministries blog the last few months, it’s been a fun adventure and we’ve seen some great comments on the posts. You should go there today and check out any number of great posts from the other contributors.

Which list are you on?

The blog that most recently was published really was inspired by my son!

The creative little dude with a fresh ‘do surprised us by creating a Jesus list and Satan list… I just may reveal nationally which list you’re on, check out the blog post at D2S here.

Praise God for the grace he has given us! I pray that all will know the love of the Jesus and that he will use us, including my little dude, to share that great news with his friends! It’s never too early to share that news!

Grace,
Brian

Urgent Message To Pastors & Elders

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

You may have faith, but do you have a faith that anticipates a great work of God?

Your church may have a Youth Ministry program, but are you anticipating God to do a great work through the people that make up that program?

You may hope for revival, but are you willing to challenge your congregation to pray and anticipate that revival for 31 straight days?

“The work has been chiefly amongst the young; . . . few others have been made partakers of it. And indeed it has commonly been so, when God has begun any great work for the revival of his church; he has taken the young people, and has cast off the old and stiff-necked generation.”  ~ Jonathan Edwards, commenting on the First Great Awakening

Elders at our church gifted each family with Pray31

On Monday, October 1, 2012 our church and thousands of churches around the nation will begin Pray31, a one-month, (& approximate) five minute per day, prayer initiative that focuses on praying for our nation. This is not political, it is spiritual. Elected officials will legislate laws that may or may not help the nation look more ethical/moral, but it is only God who can change hearts.

I was recently interviewed by Tim Eldred, the National Spokesperson for Pray31. I am excited about this initiative and we stand together   in hope that God, through Pray31, will unite the hearts of Christians across this country. As a result, I believe we will even then begin to see God at work through the lives of our young adults/teens! To that end, I’m equally excited about something that we (Youthmark) will release very soon (hinted at in the video)!

 

It’s not too late to get involved. Click here and order enough prayer atlases for your church. If you order early this week you’ll be able to pass them out this next Sunday so your church can begin next Monday, October 1!

What’s stopping you? Let’s anticipate God together!

Grace,
Brian

 

You Telling The Whole Truth?

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

As a person who has trusted in Jesus, I believe that I have a wonderful opportunity… but it is an opportunity that I often forget or choose not to take advantage of! I have the opportunity to share the Truth, but I often just share the truth (small “t” vs. capital “T”).

The coffee shop is where I often get to choose Truth or truth

I recently wrote an article for the Dare 2 Share “Relational and Relentless Blog” that deals with the small T vs. capital T Truth. Check it out here and leave a comment, contribute to the conversation!

Grace,
Brian

 

Sneak Peak at another Major Announcement Coming Soon

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

In just a couple weeks it will be official, and I’ll make a more major announcement then, but was pretty excited to receive an overnighted package yesterday. Pictured below is the proof for the first cover of a Youthmark published book!

We (Brian/Youthmark) have several published projects, but this is the first book that we YOUTHMARK have published! Very exciting times. I’ll explain all the cool details soon! Please pray for this new endeavor!

Grace,
Brian

The Northwest Is Cutting Edge!

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

We may be Sleepless, but we’re a pretty proud bunch of innovators!

Seattle home of… grunge music, the new-era of coffee and some rather larger machinery that flies.

Well, we’ve been selected as the launching point of another pilot, Open Seattle. 

If you are involved in the Student Ministry Field (volunteer, paid, parent of teen, etc.), this is a one-day (Saturday) event worth checking out. In addition to it being innovative in its approach, it is EXTREMELY affordable, just $25!

An event like this typically would cost a lot more, but none of the speakers is getting paid– we’re doing it because we believe it is something that is needed  in Youth Ministry RIGHT NOW (collaborating with others and mutually training one another)!

Come join us, Saturday, October 6! 

Youth Pastors/Directors: Bring a few (or all) of your volunteer team!

Youth Leaders: Bring the ideas you’ve been afraid to share in the past, here you’ll have an audience who WANTS/NEEDS to hear them!

Parents: Come partner with a tribe of youth leaders who so desperately need teammates!

The next stops for Open are Boston and Paris… that’s right, we’re first, AGAIN!

Grace,
Brian

P.S. I’d love to have you join me at my session, “The Virtuous Cycle”… We’ve seen the “vicious cycle” (one bad thing leading to other bad stuff, etc.), I’ll be inviting us to see the cycle of redemption that can exist where we lead with training students to live and share openly about their faith. A virtuous cycle of (warning: Big Theological Terms Coming) Evangelism and Edification!

Register Here!

Super Exciting BIG Youthmark Announcement!

Brian Aaby 4 Comments

Our little organization which has a BIG vision for Mission51 just got a MAJOR boost!

As I have talked about for the last few months and hinted at in a few blog posts, Youthmark has been in discussions with a few organizations about expanding the Mission51 movement!

One way we will see this take place is through our strategic partnership with Youth Missions International (YMI). This alliance will enable Youthmark and YMI to:

  • Equip more people for Mission51
  • Better train for specific locations
  • Send to more places (domestic and international)
  • Increase customer service
  • Offer the most affordable package for missions that include before, during trip and post Mission Venture materials

For those who have experienced a Youthmark Mission Venture you will only experience an increase in what you have received for the same price (in fact, in some cases, for less cost).

In this partnership Youthmark gets to do what we do best: train, equip, send and return participants for Mission51 – the 51 weeks of mission back home!

Likewise, YMI gets to excel all the more in what they are known for: delivering custom-made domestic missions and fantastic YMI hosted mission trips to international destinations.

In this arrangement we will now be able to send church groups and individuals  on mission trips! EVERY participant gets the Youthmark (Mission51) training and follow-through while being ushered through the on-trip experience by the esteemed YMI!

The Short List of What’s Included:

  • Choice of trips on 5 different continents or any of the 50 states
  • Customized aspects for every Mission Venture
  • Personal consultant for the entire process
  • Complete Leaders Guide (the A to Z of missions)
  • Complete 10 week curriculum for the entire students ministries (not just mission team)
  • Mission Prep Workbook for every person going on the trip
  • Mission51 Training Retreat
  • Devotional for each participant on the mission venture
  • Guided Study for family members at home
  • Follow-up book to launch your study and application for after the Mission Venture

Domestic trips are offered for as little as $289-$349 (and include ALL of the above). Check out the BUILD YOUR TRIP tab at YMI and get the ball rolling! Don’t hesitate to call us at Youthmark, 800.455.1450 if you have questions or call YMI to talk about any specifics as well. YMI: (866) 487-7563!

Spread the word to others. Pray for this partnership and join in by pre-registering a group or individual now!

Can’t wait to see how God uses this for his glory!

Grace,
Brian